Wyatt Earp was born on March 19, 1848 in Monmouth, Illinois. He had an adventurous attitude as a child, often trying to run away and join his older brothers in the Union army. His attempts to run away mainly failed but he left for good when he was 17. He got a job grading track for the Union Pacific Railroad company until he settled in Missouri and became a constable in the town of Lamar. He lead a normal life until it changed when his wife, along with their child, died of typhus.
Life in the Frontier
Following the death of his wife and unborn child, Earp left Missouri for the West. He was devastated by his loss and had no real motivation or direction for his life. He stole horses and escaped jail on several occasions and almost could always be found in brothels. In 1876, he met his brother, Virgil, in Kansas before moving to Tombstone, Arizona in 1879. The Earp brothers moved to Tombstone in search of silver, but when their plans failed, Earp was forced to return to law enforcement and his reputation as a gunslinging sheriff was born. Tombstone was a large boom town at this time due to the presence of silver. With no real government or effective justice system, Earp became the main figure that controlled the "wild west" nature of Tombstone.
Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
In 1889, Earp made a deal with a citizen named Ike Clanton to help find some outlaws who had been robbing stagecoaches. Clanton turned on Earp and drunkenly announced one day that he was going to kill one of the Earp brothers. This tension created one of the most popular gunfights in the history of the Wild West era including the three Earp brothers, Clanton, and outlaws named the McLaury brothers. It took place near a small horse enclosure called the O.K. Corral and lasted about 30 seconds. It resulted in the deaths of the McLaury brothers and a man named Doc Holliday. This gunfight has become a symbol of the Wild West and what most people think of when considering western history. Though it is well-known for the Earps being heroes, there is controversy surrounding the fact that the McLaury brothers were not as bad as they are portrayed. This video explains how some saw the Earps as killers who may have murdered innocent people in the McLaurys.
Controversy and Impact of Wyatt Earp
Earp went on to live a long life after the gunfight. He continued to roam and pursue success in gold mining and his legacy. Controversy surrounding Earp comes with the acts that he actually was involved in. Historians question whether most of what is known about Earp is folklore or actual history because in his final years of life he was concerned with the portrayal of his life, so he could have had an influence on what was written in his biographies and the accounts of his life.
Wyatt Earp is considered an icon of the Wild West Era because he was the typical western sheriff or law presence who kept the people safe by defeating wild cowboys.
Kevin Costner as Wyatt Earp in the film "Wyatt Earp" (1994)
Wyatt Earp
(1848-1929)Background
Wyatt Earp was born on March 19, 1848 in Monmouth, Illinois. He had an adventurous attitude as a child, often trying to run away and join his older brothers in the Union army. His attempts to run away mainly failed but he left for good when he was 17. He got a job grading track for the Union Pacific Railroad company until he settled in Missouri and became a constable in the town of Lamar. He lead a normal life until it changed when his wife, along with their child, died of typhus.Life in the Frontier
Following the death of his wife and unborn child, Earp left Missouri for the West. He was devastated by his loss and had no real motivation or direction for his life. He stole horses and escaped jail on several occasions and almost could always be found in brothels. In 1876, he met his brother, Virgil, in Kansas before moving to Tombstone, Arizona in 1879. The Earp brothers moved to Tombstone in search of silver, but when their plans failed, Earp was forced to return to law enforcement and his reputation as a gunslinging sheriff was born. Tombstone was a large boom town at this time due to the presence of silver. With no real government or effective justice system, Earp became the main figure that controlled the "wild west" nature of Tombstone.Gunfight at the O.K. Corral
In 1889, Earp made a deal with a citizen named Ike Clanton to help find some outlaws who had been robbing stagecoaches. Clanton turned on Earp and drunkenly announced one day that he was going to kill one of the Earp brothers. This tension created one of the most popular gunfights in the history of the Wild West era including the three Earp brothers, Clanton, and outlaws named the McLaury brothers. It took place near a small horse enclosure called the O.K. Corral and lasted about 30 seconds. It resulted in the deaths of the McLaury brothers and a man named Doc Holliday. This gunfight has become a symbol of the Wild West and what most people think of when considering western history. Though it is well-known for the Earps being heroes, there is controversy surrounding the fact that the McLaury brothers were not as bad as they are portrayed. This video explains how some saw the Earps as killers who may have murdered innocent people in the McLaurys.Controversy and Impact of Wyatt Earp
Earp went on to live a long life after the gunfight. He continued to roam and pursue success in gold mining and his legacy. Controversy surrounding Earp comes with the acts that he actually was involved in. Historians question whether most of what is known about Earp is folklore or actual history because in his final years of life he was concerned with the portrayal of his life, so he could have had an influence on what was written in his biographies and the accounts of his life.Wyatt Earp is considered an icon of the Wild West Era because he was the typical western sheriff or law presence who kept the people safe by defeating wild cowboys.